Super Typhoon Vongfong bringing 185kph winds to north Japanese islands

Japan is preparing for its strongest storm this year as super typhoon Vongfong as it batters the Okinawa Islands. “It’s the strongest storm we’ve had this year, definitely, although it has lost some strength from its peak,” said an official at Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The typhoon, which will be Japan’s second in a week, was hitting Okinawa, and moving north at 15 kph with winds of 185 kph on Saturday morning.

We are calling on all citizens to pay close attention to weather reports and respond promptly if the authorities advise them to evacuate.

Japan Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga

The typhoon was expected to weaken as it moved north, and likely to hit land on Sunday on the westernmost main island of Kyushu, before moving northeast towards Japan’s largest main island of Honshu, where it is likely to weaken into a tropical storm. Government officials were due to meet on Friday night to plan their response, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said.

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